In thirty-three minutes, Carnophage balance some of the most fetid vocals with cheeky technical bluster, leaving a mark on Matter Of A Darker Nature (Transcending Obscurity Records) which leaves an enthusiastic Brutal/Tech-Death impression.

Far from the still-going revival of old-school sounding Death Metal with musty harsh production and a “caveman” mentality, the Turkish outfit present flair, panache and decadence all in one, creating music for the sake of both showing off talents while also maintaining a rugged outline.

“Until The Darkness Kills The Light” hits the ground running and features a plethora of tempo shifts which aren’t necessarily Mathcore levels, but does provide a freshness and an on-your-toes experience.

Acting as proper evidence for Carnophage’s motives, “Underneath The Horrendous One” belts out swamp-infested grunts that tag teams with technically elaborate drum work (both of which become a mainstay of the record).

The melodies on “Eventually They Will Die” are both exploratory and meandering, and the title track is nothing short of punishing and belligerent throughout. 

There really aren’t any misses on Matter Of A Darker Nature. The opener, “In My Bones,” houses sultry gutturals mixed with fine-tuned brutality. Strong bouts of frenetic bluster also hint at what’s to come.

Additionally, tropes don’t feel overdone, and showy musical arrangements aren’t flooding the eight tracks. There’s a preciseness that isn’t too techy and a desire for pandemonium that isn’t too brutal. In a way, it’s getting a great taste of both worlds without dipping too far into one or the other.

Carnophage had a vision and saw to it that the vision was met in a professional and direct manner. Dynamic production; ample time and space for tracks to breathe and metastasize without being too drawn out; and damn good energy to keep all the various threads together.

Buy the album here:
https://carnophage.bandcamp.com/album/matter-of-a-darker-nature

8 / 10
MATT COOK